The present invention relates to a baseball game, and in particular to a game played with ball detection equipment.
It is known to use ball detectors to evaluate the performance of a player and to allow practice by simulation. For example, a known apparatus evaluates a pitched ball with a double row of light sensors. The sensors are numerous enough to determine the ball position in three dimensions so that location and speed can be evaluated (U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,005). This device, however, is not arranged to allow batting practice, evaluate the performance of a batter, or play an actual game.
Other equipment uses optical detectors to determine the characteristics of a batter's swing (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,531,116; 4,461,477 and 4,708,343). These latter devices evaluate a batter's swing without actually using a pitched ball.
Other practice and evaluation devices have been limited to evaluating or providing practice for a single player. For example, devices have been developed to determine the force of impact of a football (U.S. Pat. No. 4,029,315) or the angle of rebound of a golf ball (U.S. Pat. No. 3,837,655). Neither of these references allow practice for both a batter and pitcher since they are limited to different sports and are intended for single player use.
Another system suited for a single player (U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,018) employs a mechanical ball server. A player returns the ball and a plurality of vertical panels detect impact strength and the location where the ball is returned by the player. This system, however, does not have any means for evaluating the ball being served by another player, does not accept strategic input, and does not accommodate the many facets, actions and rules associated with the game of baseball. See also U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,618,957; 4,545,576, and 4,673,183.
Accordingly, there is a need for a single and multi-player baseball game that not only detects the location of the pitched ball and the destination of the hit ball, but challenges the mental, as well as the physical, abilities of participants, both offensively and defensively. The result is a baseball game that is more exciting and realistic than its predecessors.